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New And Revamped Places To Visit This School Holidays

In a recent survey conducted on work-life balance in Singaporean parents, 55% said their work demands ate into their family time more than they liked. Singapore parents would like to spend more time with their kids but they don’t have enough time due to their workload.

How can we be smart about using our time? Why not do something or go somewhere that benefits both parents and kids! We list down new and revamped places around the island that cater to the whole family.

Bond + Play + Learn @ The Keppel Centre for Art Education

The Keppel Centre for Art Education will be the first of its kind in the region to provide young visitors the opportunity to access original artwork, handle art tools, select artworks, write labels and conduct exhibition tours for their peers through experiential learning and role-play in masterclasses led by artists and educators.

The Centre will present an annual change of installations and feature a series of adult- and family-friendly programmes, such as daily tours, workshops, lectures, forums, family weekends and community days to give visitors more reasons to return to the Gallery. Located on the ground floor of the City Hall Wing, the place is easily accessible to schools and families with young children. Admission to the Centre is free.

South Korea’s top animation character Pororo the Little Penguin, will be making his way to Singapore with Southeast Asia’s first Pororo Park. This will be the first in Southeast Asia, and the largest character-themed indoor playground in Singapore.

Set to be an integrated entertainment and educational indoor playground that educates young children aged 1 – 9 years old, young and adventurous fans of Pororo will enjoy the various entertainment facilities including Pororo Express – a train ride for kids and the iconic centrepiece of Pororo Park; Pororo House – a replica of Pororo’s House; Shark Ball Pool and Poby’s Jungle Gym.

Opening date: 11 November 2015

Admission: Every ticket is a designated 2-hour play time per entry

Children aged 2 to 12 years
Non-Member $33.50
Annual Member $23.50
Partners $28.50

Different from most other run-of-the-mill toy stores, the Hamleys proposition is refreshingly unique. The store offers a mind-boggling array of over 10,000 toys, ranging from the traditional to the high-tech. What’s more, Hamleys invites visitors into a magical wonderland once they step in and brings enchanting toys to life to delight children and adults alike. You can experience firsthand the joys a toy can bring through playtime, interaction and fun “live” toy demonstrations by Hamleys’ expert staff.

Now open to the public

Where: 68 Orchard Rd, Plaza Singapura, #03-65 to 69

Shop + Bond + Play @ Toys “R” Us at Paragon

Shopping is less functional and more experiential and the newly revamped Toys “R” at Paragon. A multi-sensory experience, your noses will be tickled the second you walk in as a special scent, Candy Apple, trickles through the air. There are thematic display shelves, interactive booths and a shooting gallery to test out the latest toys! Don’t forget to snap a selfie shot at the Selfie station, where you can create unique selfie moments with your kids in the first-ever Toys “R” Us interactive wall.

Now open to public

Where: 290 Orchard Road, Level 6, #06-12/18

Learn + Play + Shop + Eat @ City Square Mall

Did you know? City Square Mall is the first mall in Singapore to be integrated with an urban park. Situated in the first eco-mall in Singapore, the playground is eco-friendly with swings, slides and climbing structures plus an educational element providing children with a learning experience about ecology and nature. The playground is slated for an upgrade this November.

If you are there, also check out the Living Maze at level 1 and the SkyPark at level 6.

Need to nurse your baby, or your little one starting to get restless? There are family-friendly features and services such as spacious corridors, nursing rooms and free rental of kiddy carts. The mall has also recently increased their kids-related tenants with the entry of Fun N Laughter and My Gym at B2.

Now open to public

Where: 180 Kitchener Rd

Eat + Bond + Play + Learn @ Open Farm Community (OFC)

Sprawling over 35,000 square feet on the edge of Minden Road, this revolutionary experiential space is a green mix of urban farmland right in the heart of Singapore, and a horticultural hub. Its outdoor and covered spaces incorporate a coffee bar, fresh juice and cocktail bar.

Besides palatable food and drinks from their restaurant and cafe, OFC also offers a variety of activities here at Open Farm Community – table tennis, lawn bowl, sand playground, or have a quaint walk through their garden, where a variety of herbs and vegetables are grown.

OFC also conducts monthly OFC Farmers’ Markets as well as regular workshops. The first ever Farmers’ Market held towards the end of August this year saw local farmers and food and craft makers bring a selection of jackfruit and coconut kaya (Momo Co), Ham and Sausages (Casse – Croute), Oh Farm’s fresh and crunchy butterhead lettuce, and snacks from Kerbside Gourmet – Asia’s first social enterprise gourmet food truck and more.

Price range of the kids menu is from SGD15++ to SGD22++, and the adults menu is from SGD17++ (dessert) to SGD62++ (mains)

Now open to public

Where: Open Farm Community, 130E Minden Road, Singapore 248819

Play + Bond + Learn @ Coney Island

Coney Island, also known as Pulau Serangoon houses a wide variety of habitats, including coastal forests, grasslands, mangroves, and casuarina woodlands. It is home to a wide variety of fauna and flora, some of which are critically endangered. Some plants at the park are presumed nationally extinct in the wild. A great place for bird watching, cycling, or taking a hike with your family.

Now open to public

Free Admission

Where: The island stretches to the western and eastern ends to Punggol Promenade and Pasir Ris Coast Industrial Park 6

Play + Bond @ Karting Arena

Singapore’s first ever, permanent electric karting track, The Karting Arena gives to you a platform for endless fun. The circuit features a 545-metre long track with 11 turns, consisting of a combination of sweeping corners, a hairpin and a chicane near the end of the lap, making it an exhilarating experience. Fun karting is suitable for everyone, even those without a driver’s license!

Children have to be at least age 9 years and a minimum height of 1.4m to drive.

KidZania Singapore is an indoor family edutainment centre which offers an interactive learning and entertainment experience for kids in a kid-sized city, through over 80 role-play activities. More than an indoor theme park, kids can experience role-play activities, earn a salary in the form of kidZos, the official currency of KidZania, pay for goods and services and manage a bank card. It is the only KidZania to be located on an island resort, and also house a full-sized fuselage of a Boeing 737!

Kidzania is slated to open in April 2016.

Where: Sentosa, Palawan Beach

Learn + Play + Bond @ Playeum

Catered for children ages 1 to 12 year old, the non-profit organisation has spent the last six years hosting programmes at void decks, community centres and museums. The centre’s new space is dedicated designed to engage and encourage a range of interests through open-ended play through the art installations, monthly exhibitions. They also conduct regular classes, workshops, art-jam sessions and holiday camps.